crimsonride
huh?
- Location
- Murray
I think this is my best option for my J20. Anyone know what years to look for to get my hands on some suspension parts? I need it to be the solid axle, not the TTB front axle. I would guess it's like 70's eras.
What year fords had radius arms with solid axles?
- Thread starter crimsonride
- Start date
- Location
- Grantsville, Utah
All through the 70's. 1980 brought the ttb.
- Location
- The Land Northward (Bountiful), Utah
F150
76 & 77 had welded on C's and disc brakes. Earlier are drum.
78 & 79 had cast C's as part of the axle tubes.
After that is TTB.
IMO you'd be better off buying aftermarket radius arms and Cs. Like Core or otherwise with a hiem. The stock style rubber bushings are not that great. I threw away a pair about 5 years ago.
76 & 77 had welded on C's and disc brakes. Earlier are drum.
78 & 79 had cast C's as part of the axle tubes.
After that is TTB.
IMO you'd be better off buying aftermarket radius arms and Cs. Like Core or otherwise with a hiem. The stock style rubber bushings are not that great. I threw away a pair about 5 years ago.
4x4_Welder
Well-Known Member
- Location
- Twin Falls, ID
Jeff's Bronco Graveyard sells the diamonds by themselves, they fit D44 tubes. 59-77? F100 had forged radius arms, 78-79 F150 and Bronco had stamped steel. I think you can get the later style along with the frame brackets from JBG as well.
F250 was leaf sprung, and there wasn't an F350 4x4 until 79. When they went back to a straight axle in 88, it was leaf springs again. When they went back to coils and radius arms in 2005, they changed a few things. Instead of a stud that went through a donut bushing and mount, they went with a leaf spring style bushing, and instead of the diamonds they used two more of those bushings on a pretty large spacing. The arms are also huge. I can see how this would greatly reduce axle twist under torque and braking, but clearance and flexibility suffer.
F250 was leaf sprung, and there wasn't an F350 4x4 until 79. When they went back to a straight axle in 88, it was leaf springs again. When they went back to coils and radius arms in 2005, they changed a few things. Instead of a stud that went through a donut bushing and mount, they went with a leaf spring style bushing, and instead of the diamonds they used two more of those bushings on a pretty large spacing. The arms are also huge. I can see how this would greatly reduce axle twist under torque and braking, but clearance and flexibility suffer.
RockChucker
Well-Known Member
- Location
- Highland
What Carl said. 2005 and newer F250 and F350 have beefy 60's with radius arms. You can usually pick up the front and rear end for $500-800.
- Location
- Bountiful, land of rocks
crimsonride
huh?
- Location
- Murray
You guys are a wealth of knowledge! I’m kind of thinking I just want to keep the D44 I have now and weld on the diamonds and mounts for radius arms. Just seems simple. I don’t have to worry about different widths, wheel bolt patterns, gears etc. I’m never going to off road this thing or get crazy hauling with it so I’m not overly concerned with the strength of the front axle. This Jeep has a slight bump steer and I think I can fix that with the track bar as well. Just seems simple and cheap.
- Location
- Richfield, UT.
For Sale - hp 44, and 9" axles, geared, and shafted
5 lug Front hp 44 with 5.13rp and full spool. Yukon chromoly inner and outer shafts with h20 u joints with less than 10 trips on them. Has the cast radius arm brackets with new bushings and fabricated radius arms still on it. Ford 9" with 5.13rp either welded or spooled. Was told both were...
www.rme4x4.com
4x4_Welder
Well-Known Member
- Location
- Twin Falls, ID
What side drop is the J20? The Ford axle will be a left hand drop, plus the knuckles out will need to be swapped for bolt pattern purposes. I've been told the GM outers that Jeep used are stronger.
What is that Ford axle out of?
What is that Ford axle out of?
crimsonride
huh?
- Location
- Murray
I’m not planning on swapping axles. I just want to weld the diamonds on to the D44 I already have.
- Location
- The Land Northward (Bountiful), Utah
This kit obviously isn't radius arms but you could piece it all together from ruffstuff. Although the stock rubber Ford stuff will ride smoother than all hiems.
www.ruffstuffspecialties.com
Coil Spring 3 Link Kit with 1.25" Heims
Coil Spring 3 Link Kit with 1.25" Heims
www.ruffstuffspecialties.com
- Location
- Grantsville, Utah
You may have trouble locating the weld on wedges/diamonds due to the width and location of the cast centersection and it's integrated leaf spring perch.
crimsonride
huh?
- Location
- Murray
Oh yeah! You’re right. For some reason I didn’t think it was cast but I just looked at my photos and confirmed it is. Time to start measuring to see if I can still pull this off.
- Location
- The Land Northward (Bountiful), Utah
You can cut the leaf spring perch off the center enough to weld the wedge.
The tube is still pressed the same distance in the center section.
I had a buddy who used an F250 Dana 44 under his WJ and that's what we did to link it.
The tube is still pressed the same distance in the center section.
I had a buddy who used an F250 Dana 44 under his WJ and that's what we did to link it.
crimsonride
huh?
- Location
- Murray
Good to know! Sounds like it's time to start cutting! Thanks for the info!
crimsonride
huh?
- Location
- Murray
Hey Gravy. Were 76 and 77 the only years that had the weld on C's? We're talking about the diamonds that the radius arms bolt over right? I'm about to go search some graveyards to see what I can find.
If you're planning on using the Ford factory radius arms also, be aware they are very easy to weld and modify--so you don't have to use the stupid frame-side bushing. (meaning, you can customize the length for whatever fits under your truck best also...and I'd make them adjustable, just because)
Edit: You can also buy the wedges new, also: https://www.dufftuff.com/Dana_44_Dana_60_Axle_Wedges_p/5340.htm
Edit: You can also buy the wedges new, also: https://www.dufftuff.com/Dana_44_Dana_60_Axle_Wedges_p/5340.htm
crimsonride
huh?
- Location
- Murray
That's awesome! I thought cast was really difficult to weld to? I'm a mediocre welder at best. Anyway, if that is the case I'd definitely want to go adjustable and use more of a leaf spring type bushing. It wouldn't be hard at all to fab us some frame side brackets. Thanks for the link for the diamonds, I've been having a hard time finding those!
It certainly can be...but the radius arms are forged. Or at least cast steel, rather than cast iron. Either way, they weld pretty nicely.
One example: RockMonkey's cherokee radius arms...he cut off all but the "C" part and welded to it.
Shown in post #163 here: https://www.rme4x4.com/threads/cheap-cherokee-build.47224/page-9